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Harpers
Harpers, along with Marset, is one of two Garden worlds found in the AD Leonis system, part of the Old Reaches. Harpers is home to colonies from five nations - The Asian Co-Prosperity League, Brazil, the Reformed USSR, South Africa, and the UOE. Flora and Fauna Harpers is renowned for its diverse and unusual ecosystem, in particular its invertebrate and arthropod species. Unlike such creatures on Earth most of the invertebrate species on Harpers have developed functioning book lungs allowing them to grow to sizes not found anywhere else. The most famous, and dangerous, of these species are the "false spiders" of the class pseudorachnids. Unlike true spiders pseudorachnids have three body sections (head, thorax, and abdomen) with the eight legs growing from the thorax. The abdomen of the pseudorachnids is segmented with between three and five segments depending on species. The largest example of this class is the tiger false-spider (Pseudorachnid tigris) which can reach a body length of thirty five centimetres and a leg span of over a metre. The bite of the tiger false-spider is not lethal to humans although it is incredibly painful. Attacks on humans are rare, the tiger false-spider's normal prey been the many species of small mammal and beetles which inhabit the forest floor. A more dangerous species is the tree dwelling fearbringer false-spider (Pseudorachnid phobos). Smaller than the tiger false-spider, the fearbringer can reach a body length of 20cm and have a leg span of 30cm. Its prefered hunting technique is a simple ambush attack where it drops onto its prey from above although examples have been spotted chasing prey along branches. The bite of the fearbringer is fatal to humans and there have been over fifty confirmed deaths since Harpers was colonised. The venom is a neuro-toxin which causes cardiac arrest within an hour or so. An anti-venom has been developed and most medical facilities close to the fearbringers range will have ample stocks. Another monster on Harpers is the hell wasp (vespa hades), a flying nightmare capable of reaching a length of 15-18cm and flying faster than a man can run. The hell wasp lacks a stinger buts it mandibles can inflict a searing bite. Worse the hell wasps is both highly territorial and highly agressive, attacking without warning anything that comes too close to their nests. The most destructive invertebrate on Harpers however is the demon bug (Coleopteran diabolis) a mouse sized beetle which lives in hives of up to eight hundred individuals. The demon bug gets its name from its bright red colouring and from its two small antenne which resemble a devils horns. Normally demon bugs stay in their underground burrows, with only a few individuals out foraging at any one time, however occassionally scout bugs will come across a high density source of food and within hours the whole hive will begin swarming. Demon bugs are voracious herbivores capable of stripping whole hectares of vegetation in a few hours, what the swarm does not devour at once is cut up and taken back to the hive where it is stored in underground chambers. Section heading Write the second section of your article here. Category:Colony Worlds Category:Garden Worlds Category:The Old Reach